Motorway Bus Lanes

[matdebat]

I was pulled over this morning for riding in the bus lane on the Esmonde Rd on ramp on the north shore. Cop said he was a biker too and would not give me ticket but I was not allowed to ride in the bus lane. Said bus lanes on motorways were not included in the law change earlier this year, which is news to me. I have since looked at the LTSA website and it quite clearly states that bus lanes now fall under national laws that are consistent, but nothing about not being allowed to use ones on the motorway.

Has anyone else heard of this?

[The Stranger:Me]

Yeah you not allowed to do it. You are allowed to use all bus lanes (but not transit lanes) unless signs specifically exclude motorbikes.

Unfortunately Transit erected "Bus Only" signs and said that was specific. I would have thought that it was a general exclusion, but unfortunately they have more clout than me.

[crashe]

Yep you were lucky.... cos you could have gotten a $150 fine.

The motorway bus lanes are ONLY for buses......
There are signs all along the motorways stating
"Bus Lane ONLY"

[matdebat]

has anyone seen a sign anywhere saying "buses and motorbikes only"? I haven't yet

[Colapop]

From today's "Stupidity" thread....

Please note that the Auckland Motorway dose not come under the Auckland City Council. The Motorway is and land around it is owned by Transit New Zealand. The bus lanes on the motorway are marked "BUS ONLY", this means that only buses can use them.

From Land Transport (Road User) Rule 2004

bus lane means a lane reserved by a marking or sign installed
at the start of the lane and at each point at which the lane
resumes after an intersection for the use of—
(a) buses; and
(b) cycles and motorcycles (unless either or both are specifically
excluded by the sign)

I have checked with the NZ police and their answer is, that unless the sign specifically states that cycles and motorcycles are excluded from using the bus lane then a sign saying "Buses Only" does not mean cyclists and motorcyclists cannot use the bus lane. I double checked this and was again told that the sign must state "No motorcycles or cycles."
The use of these lanes (for bikers and cyclists) was intended as a safety measure to keep them from lane splitting (for bikers) or being in the traffic flow (cyclists)

[Divot]

Maybe you should check with the police that work the motorway.!!!

[Karma]

From today's "Stupidity" thread....



I have checked with the NZ police and their answer is, that unless the sign specifically states that cycles and motorcycles are excluded from using the bus lane then a sign saying "Buses Only" does not mean cyclists and motorcyclists cannot use the bus lane. I double checked this and was again told that the sign must state "No motorcycles or cycles."
The use of these lanes (for bikers and cyclists) was intended as a safety measure to keep them from lane splitting (for bikers) or being in the traffic flow (cyclists)

I was under the impression we can't use them, but following your logic to conclusion you'd need a sign about 2m square.

No motorbikes, bicycles, unicycles, small dogs, children, cars, trucks, people carriers, 4x4s, cows, pigs, aeroplanes, vegitables, etc....

[crashe]

I was under the impression we can't use them, but following your logic to conclusion you'd need a sign about 2m square.

No motorbikes, bicycles, unicycles, small dogs, children, cars, trucks, people carriers, 4x4s, cows, pigs, aeroplanes, vegitables, etc....

Which is why it says
"Bus lane ONLY"

[Divot]

I was under the impression we can't use them, but following your logic to conclusion you'd need a sign about 2m square.

No motorbikes, bicycles, unicycles, small dogs, children, cars, trucks, people carriers, 4x4s, cows, pigs, aeroplanes, vegitables, etc....

Colapop

[Lou Girardin]

Yep you were lucky.... cos you could have gotten a $150 fine.

The motorway bus lanes are ONLY for buses......
There are signs all along the motorways stating
"Bus Lane ONLY"

$500.

[The Stranger:Me]

Which is why it says
"Bus lane ONLY"

NO, because everything else is already excluded by law i.e. under no ciccumstance may an aeroplane use a bus lane. However if it does we have bigger problems. Only motorbikes, bicycles, mopeds and busses may use a bus lane. So there would be no need to then explicitly exclude vegetables and the like and there is little confusion on this matter.

As mopeds and bicycles are not allowed on a motorway anyway, there would be no need to exclude these.

So that just leaves motorbikes and busses. As busses are allowed to use bus lanes it would be fairly obvious that no sign stating such would be required.

Hence it would only require the specific exclusion of motorcycles, which coincidentally is what the law states.

Bus Lane Only is a general exclusion.

So why does it state Bus Lane Only?

[Colapop]

Colapop

Me? ? You quoted Weasel and you're telling me to be calm? I'm fine

Apart from that, I just thought I'd tell what I was told when I checked it. It has been found that police officers do not always get it right. And if you are fined for riding in the bus lanes then it may be worth your while to check it with the coppers in the office who have instant access to the legislation. Incidentally it may or may not be worth your while to quote the legislation to the officer on the side of the motorway! Depends on how they're feeling sometimes.

[crashe]

$500.

Yikes, when did it go up to a $500 fine...?

And here I thought it was still $150.

[Lou Girardin]

Yikes, when did it go up to a $500 fine...?

And here I thought it was still $150.

Everything costs more on motorways.

[Divot]

Apart from that, I just thought I'd tell what I was told when I checked it. It has been found that police officers do not always get it right. And if you are fined for riding in the bus lanes then it may be worth your while to check it with the coppers in the office who have instant access to the legislation. Incidentally it may or may not be worth your while to quote the legislation to the officer on the side of the motorway! Depends on how they're feeling sometimes.

On asking some questions at work I was pointed in this direction -

Transit New Zealand

Auckland Regional Office

25 February 2005

Media Release

Motorcyclists and cyclists reminded not to use motorway bus lanes

Transit New Zealand wishes to remind cyclists and motorcyclists that they are not allowed to use any bus lanes on Auckland’s motorways even when the new traffic rules announced by Land Transport NZ come into force on Sunday (27 February).


Transit New Zealand regional manager (acting), Richard Hancy, says the new rules, which will allow cyclists and motorcyclists to use bus lanes on other roads, do not apply to bus lanes on motorways. “Motorways are governed by Transit Bylaw 2002/19 which only allows motorway bus lanes to be used by ‘timetabled passenger service vehicles’. This bylaw overrides the new traffic rules,” he says.


Mr Hancy says that at present bus lanes on motorways are in effect ‘emergency shoulder lanes’ that are converted to bus lanes between 6.30am and 9.30am to accommodate morning peak periods.


“Motorcyclists cannot use these emergency lanes, even when they are temporary bus lanes, because the motorway is a high speed environment and the risk of a motorist pulling off to the side in the event of a breakdown makes it even more dangerous,” says Mr Hancy.


“As far as cyclists are concerned, like pedestrians, they have never been allowed to use the motorways and this remains unchanged.” We are, however, incorporating special cycleways off the motorways whenever possible into all our new projects. We already have a cycleway that runs alongside the causeway of the Northwestern Motorway.


Special signs reinforcing the message that the emergency lanes are for buses only in morning peak periods will be erected along the motorways.


ends


For further information contact
Richard Hancy

Transit New Zealand

tel (09) 368 2000

fax (09) 368 2059

richard.hancy@transit.govt.nz

Visit us at www.transit.govt.nz

I hope theat his will end all confusion on motorway bus lanes!